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1. My dog is 4 months old and not vaccinated, isn't my dog still to young for the rabies vaccine?

All cats and dogs 3 months of age or older need to be vaccinated against the rabies virus by a licensed Texas veterinarian every year. (Ordinance10-121)

2. I lost my pets rabies certificate, but he still has his tags on, is this good enough proof of vaccinations?

Rabies tags are not proof of vaccination. The owner of the animal must show the rabies vaccine certificate to an officer when asked to show proof of vaccination. (Ordinance 10-124)

3. Is it a violation if my pet is not wearing the rabies tags?

Yes! All cats and dogs vaccinated against rabies will be issued a rabies tag and city license tag. All animals must display these tags on their collar or harness at all times. (Ordinance 10-130)

4. I walk my dog in my yard without a leash or fencing around my yard, she never leaves my property, is this a violation?

No animal shall be off a leash unless behind a fenced property. All animals that are not confined and have access to the public are considered to be running at large. (Ordinance 10-91)

5. I have a neighbor that never cleans the yard or provides fresh water for their pets, and the pets they have always seem to be sick, is this a violation?

All animals are to be provided with good wholesome food, water, and shelter at all times. Owners shall provide medical attention when needed for a sick or injured animal. All areas where animals are kept need to be maintained clean so the animal does not come into contact with fecal matter or debris. (Ordinance 10-61 Section A)

6. I am leaving (out of town), and am leaving my pets at home alone with plenty of food; is this okay to do?

No animal shall be left unattended for a 24-hour period without having someone come check the food, water, and well being of the animal. This is considered abandonment and could lead to confiscation of the animal. (Ord. 10-61 Sub-Sec C)

7. How long can I wait to report a dog bite?

All animal bites should be reported to the Animal Control Department as soon as possible. (Ord. 10-161)

8. My dog bit someone and Animal Control confiscated him. When can I pick up my dog?

Animal that inflicted a bite on a human will have to enter a 10 day or 240 hour quarantine period. If the owner of the animal wants to claim the animal they may do so after a licensed veterinarian releases the animal from its quarantine.

(Ordinance 10-163)

9. I want to sell some dogs at the flea market, and at my company's parking lot, is this a violation?

A person commits an offense if the person sells, trades, barters, leases, rents, gives away, or displays for a commercial purpose a live animal on a roadside, public right-of-way, or commercial parking lot, or at any outdoor special sale, swap meet, flea market, parking lot sale, or similar event. All violators will be issued a citation. (Ordinance 10-267)

10. My dog is very vicious, and will attack unprovoked, is this a violation to own a vicious dog?

It shall be illegal to posses or have within city limits a vicious animal. The animal will be confiscated and deemed a public nuisance. Vicious animal means any animal that commits an unprovoked attack upon a person on public or private property or that attacks, threatens to attack or terrorizes a person on public property or in a public place. (Ordinance 10-4)

11. Can I own livestock inside city limits?

It shall be unlawful to keep, posses or maintain any horse, mule, donkey or other animal of the equine family; any calf, steer, bull or any animal of the bovine family; any sheep or other animal or the ovine family; or any goat or other animal of the caprine family, on land in the city unless the animal is contains in a minimum area of 20,000 square feet for one and 20,000 square feet for any additional, and is 150 feet distance from any residence or building used for human habitation other than the owner or within 150 feet of any restaurant, cafe, or other public eating place or any church, school, hospital, convalescent home, or nursing home. If any such animal is kept or confined in any building or structure, such as a stable, barn, shed, pen or fence, such distance of 150 feet shall be measured in a straight line from the nearest point of such residence or building used for human habitation, restaurant, cafe, other public eating place, church, school, hospital, convalescent home, or nursing home.

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, possess or maintain within the city any rabbit, guinea pig, pigeon, chicken, turkey, goose, duck, peafowl, or any other fowl in any pen, enclosure, or other structure within 50 feet of any residence or building used for human habitation, other than that of the keeper or owner of such animal, or within 50 feet of any church, school, hospital, convalescent home, or nursing home. Such distance of 50 feet shall be measured in a straight line from the nearest point of any pen, enclosure, or other structure in which such fowl or animal is kept to the nearest point of such residence, church, school, convalescent home, or nursing home.

12. Can I own a small pig inside city limits?

It shall be unlawful to keep or permit to be kept any swine or to allow swine to remain in any pen, lot, stable, yard, shed, sty, or any other place within the city. This section shall not prohibit the lawful operation of export-import livestock shipping receiving facilities nor prohibit the exhibition of swine for a period not to exceed 21 days in connection with agricultural exhibitions or fairs. (Ordinance 10-64)

13. My neighbor always has his cows running loose, is this a violation?

The running at large within the city of cattle, horses, mules, jacks, jennets, sheep, hogs, goats, or other bovine, equine, ovine, porcine, or caprine animals is prohibited and declared to be a nuisance. Anyone owning, controlling, or having responsibility for the control of any of such animal that runs at large within the city shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as provided by this Code. (Ordinance 10-65)

14. When is my livestock consider a nuisance to the public?

The keeping of any animal within the city or in territory outside the city limits adjacent thereto and within 5,000 feet thereof in such manner or under such conditions as to cause a hazard or danger to the public health or which produce noxious odors or disturbing noises or discomfort or annoyance to persons of ordinary sensibilities in the immediate vicinity thereof is declared to be a nuisance and is prohibited. (Ordinance10-62)